Turkey ramps up efforts to reach 2053 climate goal

ISTANBUL

A call for the establishment of a “National Climate Platform” has been made by the Climate Research Commission in the Turkish Parliament to all segments of society for the 2053 Climate Neutral Goal, which President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced to the world during Turkey’s approval of the Paris Climate Agreement.

The commission pointed out that the time has come for the public sector, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, local administrations and academic institutions, especially the ministries, to act under one roof for climate.

“The goal of becoming a climate resilient society against the effects of climate change should be set by 2053 for our country,” said a report to be submitted to the Turkish Parliament by the commission, in which the final arrangements are made with the arrival of the dissenting opinions.

Some of the findings and recommendations in the report are as follows:

- In order to achieve the 2053 Climate Neutral Goal, a national climate platform should be established and all relevant stakeholders should be gathered under the umbrella of combating climate change.

- It is important that the Paris Agreement and its mechanisms are implemented, provided that they do not hinder Turkey’s right to economic and social development.

- The upper policy documents regarding the implementation of the agreement should be updated and followed up in line with the 2053 targets.

- A permanent team should be established to follow the international climate negotiations.

- Coordination between public institutions should be ensured, responsibilities should be determined, and the institution should be restructured so that the decisions taken in the Climate Change and Adaptation Coordination Board are binding.

- Legal arrangements should be made to fill the gap in the protected area system regarding the protection of species and habitats.

- An emissions trading system compatible with the EU that limits and encourages greenhouse gas emissions and activities that cause greenhouse gas emissions should be established and the income to be generated should be used in the fight against climate change.

Noah’s Ark database

Meanwhile, A total of 13,404 species of animals and plants were registered from Anatolia in the application of the “Noah’s Ark National Biodiversity Database” conducted by the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry.

Five new species were sent from the Aegean province of İzmir to the world nature inventory, including the İzmir mullein which was seen for the first time in 173 years, with the application, in which nearly 2 million data were recorded at 852,643 points.